World History Honors Visits NY Public Library and Broadway

Jocelyn Martinez '192 May 2019

On Wednesday, March 27th, Ms. Kathleen Menake and her two World History Honors classes spent the day in New York City, enjoying the Broadway play, Anastasia, exploring the famous New York Public Library, and grabbing a quick bite to eat along the way.

Ms. Menake, her freshman class, and two additional chaperones, Ms. Caren Atamian and Mr. Michael DeLuccia, met in the cafeteria around 8 A.M. to board the bus to the Big Apple. To start out their day, the students and teachers arrived to tour the Main Branch of the New York Public Library, located at 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. "The New York Public Library is one of the largest libraries in the world and is a vital part of academic life in New York City," shared Menake.

When the class first arrived at the library, they were greeted by a welcoming tour guide, who made their tour of the library engaging and meaningful. This building holds over 1,800 iconic reads that the students and teachers had the opportunity to witness in person. "Its history and architecture, along with its collections and many special exhibits, make it one of the most vibrant places to visit in the city," said Menake.

After an intriguing morning walking the halls of the New York Public Library, Ms. Menake, her fellow chaperones, and her students decided it was time to grab a bite to eat in Times Square. The students were assigned by Ms. Menake to each of the three chaperones in charge, then, each group got to select a specific restaurant where they wished to eat and refuel for the rest of the day. Following discussion about where to eat, the various groups chose NYC landmarks Planet Hollywood and Junior's. "This trip really allowed the two classes to bond and spend meaningful time with one another," Zahra Kiyam shared.

With full stomachs, the teachers and students began to make their way toward Broadway to see the musical Anastasia. "I decided this was a nice fit for my students because, in the beginning of the year, we studied the Russian Revolution and Anastasia's possible escape from the Bolsheviks in 1918," stated Menake. The show stars actress, Christy Altomare, and shares Anastasia's story, which is one of the most popular historical mysteries of the twentieth century. After seeing Anastasia, the group headed home and arrived back to PV at around 6:15 P.M.

This trip allowed the students to connect their learned knowledge to the outside world. "This trip was very informational and allowed us to experience new things," Emma Seber said.

Overall, the field trip was a great way for the students to learn in a relaxing, leisurely day after working hard all year. "This field trip was a great and memorable time to learn outside of the classroom," stated Gabriella Gutierrez.